Since 1973, The Moosewood Restaurant, well off the beaten path in Ithaca, NY, has been demonstrating how exciting vegetarian cooking can be. Their excellent use of seasonings and the variety of their multiethnic menus have influenced chefs all over the U.S. Customers come from all over the world to dine at this shrine to natural foods at their best. The collective running the restaurant
This is a crowd-pleasing Moosewood standard. There is nothing more appealing and satisfying than a sweet, fresh vegetables in a smooth, saucy Cheddar and cream cheese base: it's food that makes you feel safe and sound and well cared for.
This soup is sweet and mild and filled with enough vegetables for one meal, so serve it with a peppery little salad for contrast.
Serves 8 to 10
Yields 11 cups
Total time: 50 minutes
2 cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
3 cups water or Basic Light Vegetable Stock
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups milk
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese
In a large soup pot on medium heat, sauté the onions in the butter and oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the celery, cover, and cook until just soft, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, potatoes, water or stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. With a strainer or slotted spoon, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the cooked vegetables and set aside in a blender or food processor.
Add the green beans, bell peppers, and zucchini to the soup pot and cook until the green beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and parsley, simmer for 2 more minutes, and then remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf.
Puree the reserved vegetables with the milk and cheeses to make a smooth sauce. Stir the sauce into the soup and gently reheat. Serve hot.
Per 8.25-ounce serving: 174 calories. 6.6 g protein, 10.2 g fat, 15.2 g carbohydrates, 5.8 g saturated fatty acids, 28 mg cholesterol, 549 mg sodium, 2.5 g total dietary fiber
Variation: Simplify the soup by omitting either the green beans or the peas,. It's still teeming with vegetable
